Surveying GeoNames Gazetteer Data for the Nordic Countries

Dirk Ahlers
Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim, Norway

Keywords:
Geospatial Analysis, Data Quality, Gazetteer Data

Abstract

This paper takes a look at freely available gazetteer data for the Nordic countries. We examine locations in this region to understand their characteristics and the quality of the available data. Several indicators are developed and discussed to estimate the expected data quality. The distribution and coverage of the data is mapped and the accuracy and quality indicators are visualized. The used method focuses on populated places as locations of interest but can be extended to arbitrary types of locations. The results give insights into the distribution of issues based on multiple indicators and give an estimate of per-country data quality.